Page 22 of A Wish For Wilma
Sam closed his laptop. ‘To answer your question, DJ is zonked after trouncing me at Scalextric. He devoured two pork pies — who knows where the jelly came from? — and half a tin of Quality Street. I was sorely tempted to have a wee dram, but I need to stay focused if this book’s going to see the light of day.’
‘It’ll be brilliant, as always.’ Jinnie kissed Sam, gently at first, then with increasing ardour. ‘Does that mean we have a little time for ourselves?’
Sam glanced at his watch. ‘No time like the present, my wanton woman. But keep the noise down. We don’t want to wake a sleeping genie.’
A blissful hour later, Jinnie snuggled into Sam’s chest. The rhythmic thump of his heart soothed her, a pulsing panacea to all her worries. Apart from one: a niggle that had buzzed around like an annoying mosquito ever since DJ’s arrival. Something missing … something he didn’t have that both Dhassim and Aaliyah did.
Jinnie shot upright, causing a barely awake Sam to splutter into consciousness. ‘He doesn’t have a WIFI!’
‘Sweetheart, who doesn’t have WiFi? Why are you talking about the internet when we’ve just— Oh, I see.’
Jinnie wrapped the duvet around her upper half and cupped Sam’s bleary face in her hands. ‘DJ. Both Dhassim and Aaliyah had Wish Instigating Finder Instruments to grant their wishes, but DJ doesn’t. Unless it’s hidden somewhere on his body that we haven’t yet explored. Unlikely, as I’ve seen more of him than I care to remember.’
‘Maybe junior genies don’t need them.’ Sam rolled over and pulled Jinnie with him. ‘Don’t overthink it, Jinnie. This will all end soon. I feel it in my Djinn genes.’
‘Sam, you’re completely clueless when it comes to the whole all-powerful Djinn thing,’ chided Jinnie. ‘Tell me, are Dhassim and Aaliyah likely to materialise again soon? And what happens to DJ once he grants Gran her wish?’
Sam silenced Jinnie with a kiss. ‘Guilty as charged. All I know is that we need to reunite Wilma and DJ as soon as possible if we want to bring this to an end.’
An hour later, Jinnie and Sam joined DJ, suitably refreshed after his nap. At his insistence, they dug out a few more old games of Sean’s. Mousetrap proved a particular favourite, alongside Pop Up Pirate.
As DJ stabbed Pirate Pete with a blue sword, Jinnie raised the subject of the missing WIFI.
‘You see, your Mama and Papa each had one and you don’t.’
DJ wailed as his sword triggered Pete and put him out of the game. At least he’d won the previous six. ‘I don’t know what that is. And I’m not sure how I grant a wish, but with my superior intelligence I’ll figure it out. Unless…’
‘DJ, the time isn’t right to, erm, release your parents,’ said Sam, in a less-than-convincing tone. ‘Perhaps, once you’ve done the wish thing, you’ll be reunited and you can return to wherever you’re supposed to go next.’
A fat tear trickled down DJ’s chubby cheek. ‘It’s not fair!’ he sobbed. ‘I want to see them! Have they abandoned me?’
‘Of course not.’ Jinnie knelt down and gave him a squeeze. ‘This is all new to us, DJ. Well, notentirelynew, but it’ll fall into place.’
‘Can I see where they are, please?’
The three of them trooped into the hallway and Sam unlocked the cupboard. As DJ now came up to Jinnie’s chin, he had no problem seeing the two lamps.
‘Are they in there?’ he whispered, reaching out to touch them.
‘Don’t do that!’ Sam grabbed his hand. ‘Listen, you’ve been cooped up for a long time. Why don’t we take you out this afternoon?’
DJ’s lip ceased wobbling and he gave a toothy grin. Jinnie, however, looked at Sam in horror.
‘Take him where? And what’s he going to wear?’ So far DJ had sported a variety of old children’s clothes that Wilma the hoarder had kept from her son Rob’s young days. He’d appeared at Wilma’s wearing a jewelled nappy. Today, he wore a pair of striped dungarees, a yellow T-shirt and black plimsolls. ‘At the rate he’s sprouting, he’ll be raiding your wardrobe soon.’
Sam steered Jinnie to one side, DJ still gazing at the lamps. ‘I’ve a box of Sean’s stuff from his teenage years. I should have chucked it, but… We’ll find warm gear in there and take the wee guy somewhere nice. How about the beach?’
‘In October?’
‘It’s not that cold, and at least it’s not raining.’ Sam draped an arm around Jinnie’s rigid shoulders. ‘I’ll dig out a bucket and spade — yes, I share your gran’s hoarding tendencies — and we can distract him for a while. We’ll go to Portobello. It’ll be quiet and fun.’
Jinnie reckoned she’d have more fun watching paint dry but something inside her crumpled. Genie or not, DJ deserved a treat.
Her baby chose that moment to do a somersault, or whatever babies did at this stage. He or she — they didn’t want to know the sex — would have everything they could want in life. Most of all, loving parents and a happy home.
‘OK. Let’s do it.’
CHAPTER17
